Title Amos the Prophet of Justice
Amos the Prophet of Justice
(Amos 1:1, 5:21-27)
1. Background and character
Amos was a southern Judahite whose name means [porter, one who bears heavy burdens], a shepherd of Tekoa near the Dead Sea, 6 km from Jerusalem, and a farmer who cultivated mulberry trees. (7:14) "Amos answered Amaziah and said, "I am not a prophet, nor a son of a prophet, but I am a shepherd and a cultivator of sycamore trees." . B. C. 760-750. (Amos 1:1) Author of Amos. One day, when he was called to become a prophet of God (1:1), he went to Bethel, the sanctuary of the royal family in the northern part of Israel, and cried out for God's judgment, and was expelled there (7:10-17). They went to northern Israel and preached the word. Amos was not a professional prophet, but was called out of God's need and preached in places other than where he lived.
2. The Age of Amos
In the time of Amos, Northern Israel was ruled by King Jeroboam II, and Judah in the South was ruled by Uzziah, bringing about military success as well as material and economic prosperity. King Jeroboam II occupied Trans-Jordan and revitalized trade with foreign countries, making the country strong politically, militarily and economically. It was rich enough to compare with Solomon's time. Politics and economics were advancing, but on the contrary, religious and moral depravity reached its peak. Idol worship was rampant, and lies and crime did not cease. In this way, the people became arrogant, and with the abundance of material things, they became mentally lax and socially corrupt. The country's leaders, indulging in luxury and pleasure, built ivory palaces and summer villas to compete for material prosperity. The luxury eventually perishes. (Rev 18:7-9) "How much she glorified herself and how she was luxurious, repay her with suffering and mourning, for she said in her heart, I sit as a queen, and I am not a widow, I will never mourn." And when the kings of the land, where they were lavish, saw the smoke of the burning fire, they wept and beat their breasts."
Amos exclaims. “Hear this word, you who devour the needy and destroy the poor of the earth” (Amos 8:4). Not only men but also women abused the poor, oppressed the needy, and enjoyed pleasure. Luxury and pleasure are like a thirsty person drinking sea water, the more you drink, the more thirsty you get. As society and morals deteriorate, religion remains only in appearance and form, and not only has no power to rebuke or prevent corruption of the human heart, but rather, it is with the corrupt and aiding the evil. This is what the Lord said. “You tithe mint, anise, and cumin, but you have neglected the weightier matters of the law, such as righteousness, mercy, and faith” (Matthew 23:23).
3. Message from Amos
Amos, a shepherd and farmer, was called by God to emphasize Jehovah's righteousness and attack the corruption of society, politics, and religion. Although he came from a farmer's background, he was fluent in the Bible and had a keen insight and critical mind to see society in the light of God's Word. At this, the priest Amaziah, a false religionist, threatened to not prophesy in order to eat the bread. In the face of power, one must obey (7:12). But Amos was not shaken. Proclaim justice to the end. Today's text (5:24) says, "Let justice flow like water, and justice like rivers."
In the days of Amos, Isaiah and Micah were active in the southern kingdom of Judah. It was two years before the great earthquake when Amos began to preach the word. The fact that God was forced to strike them with an earthquake despite his cry is evidence that they did not hear Amos' cry. Those who are sent by God and obey God's word are God's prophets and God's servants. Those who are commanded by the Lord to eat or starve or prophesy, and those whom God has sent are those who threaten or are persecuted or cry out to hear the word of the Lord. Also, Amos said that Jehovah did not love Israel unconditionally, but that he had a special responsibility to receive Jehovah's special love. It was said that if Israel did not fulfill its responsibility even after receiving special love and disobeyed it, the sin and punishment would be severe.
Amos' cry, as in other prophets, can be found duality. It prophesies that if they do not repent of moral corruption and religious corruption, God's severe judgment will come, yet God loves them and will restore them. (9:13-15) "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when the plower shall follow the reaper, and the treader of the grapes after the sower, the mountains will shed sweet wine, and the hills will melt. I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel, and they will build and dwell in a desolate city, and they will plant vineyards, drink their wine, make orchards, and eat their fruit. I will not be elected again, saith the LORD your God." Unlike other prophets, he prophesied about the neighboring countries of Israel. It has to do with the restoration of Israel. Damascus, Tire, Edom, Ammon, and Moab will eventually be judged by God. Their judgment will eventually lead to the restoration of Israel.
4. What to learn
1) Let's put authority on God's mission
He was not a formal prophet, but a farmer and a shepherd. However, when he was called by God, he was faithful to that mission until he moved. Despite Amaziah's objection, he does his best with absolute authority in the mission the Lord has given him. Don't think that because you're not a pastor, you're not a servant of the Lord. Remember that you are the Lord's servants. “This body from which I was called” does not refer only to pastors. Says all the saints.
2) There must be a sense of justice.
Christians should be determined to reveal God's righteousness, not to be a negotiator or compromiser. It takes courage to say wrong is wrong. The rebuke of Israel for their sins (Amos 4:4-5), the rebuke to make public law like water, and justice like a river (Amos 5:24), the rebuke to the corrupt priests (Amos 7:14-17), the destruction of Israel The prophecies about him (Amos 9:7-10) are scenes that well represent what kind of person he was. The coexistence of justice and love, that is the wisdom of living the life of a believer.
3) We must know that material abundance can corrupt our faith.
Most people seek material abundance. Yet, it overlooks the dreadful poison of material abundance. Israel in the time of Jeroboam II was indeed a materially prosperous era. However, the poison possessed by the material was a religious and moral depravity. Wasn't that the reason Amos raised the sword of God? We must live by knowing and eliminating the poison hidden in the convenience of material abundance.
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